Ski rental shop gives back

Ski Butler volunteers time to Live PC Give PC

Ski rental shop Ski Butlers noticed the impact of Live PC Give PC, a day of giving created by the Park City Foundation. So much so, that the company has been trying to give back to the community ever since, from volunteer incentives for employees to trying to spread the Live PC Give PC concept into other towns where it has locations, resort towns such as Vail and Aspen.

"We were not involved with the event last year, but we noticed the amazing job the Park City Foundation did," said Mike Cremeno, the General Manager of the Park City location. "As a small business, we take so much from the community, so we decided we have to give back."

"We saw how successful the program was last year," he added, "and we thought, 'How can we be a part of this? How can we help it grow?' We've taken the idea and approached other communities."

Not only will the business be volunteering time before and on the day of Live PC Give PC, Nov. 16, but employees have been in talks with the Park City Foundation on how to take the idea and spread it.

"We're thrilled about the concept," said Katie Wright, the communications manager for the Park City Foundation. "They are trying to spread this into different towns through community foundations and chambers, approaching organizations in other towns to talk about how well this has worked for Park City.

"It is something we'd like to get behind, but right now it is in the beginning stages."

Live PC Give PC is a one-day online fundraiser for Park City and Summit County nonprofits. Scheduled for Nov.

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16, the event will last 24 hours and will raise money for nonprofits ranging in missions from maintaining hiking trails to hosting cultural events to providing supplies to those in need. Last year, the single-day event raised $330,000 for 55 nonprofits, with funds coming from 1,500 donors. The Park City Foundation set a new goal to raise $500,000 this year, with hopes of getting new donor participants.

"I think that Ski Butlers, it is the young, small organization that is just incredibly community focused," said Trisha Worthington, the Executive Director of the Park City Foundation. "Service is clearly one of their values."

The business goes as far as providing incentives for employees who volunteer at least two hours a month. The two hours are still paid time for Ski Butlers employees, but the company program goes farther, including a bonus for employees who participate.

"A lot of our employees are first-timers to Park City," Cremeno said. "They probably just graduated college and moved to a mountain town to live that ski bum lifestyle for a year or two.

"They come here for six months over the winter and they don't really know the community. They are not very involved. But this allows them to see what's going on, and they get fired up over it."

Nick Olson, an employee for the past two years, agrees.

"I spend time volunteering at the National Ability Center, helping people get on snow who may otherwise not be able to I think this makes me a better employee. After people start, a lot of employees keep doing this more than once a month, just because they like to."